Chapter 42
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: To Shanxi Province
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*Shuk.*
Elder Geum's eyes flashed, and his hand shot out with lightning speed, aiming for a vital point.
The moment the thought to block it crossed my mind, my dantian naturally opened. The internal energy flowing from it coursed through my meridians and focused at my fingertips.
With my hand, hardened like a blade by the energy, I blocked Elder Geum's attack.
*Pang.*
His wrist and elbow bent at an unnatural angle as he came in, aiming for my side.
It was a difficult position to block, given the angle of his arm.
Instantly, I straightened my left hand and thrust it toward Elder Geum's neck.
If this continued, my side would be mercilessly torn by his hand, but at the same time, Elder Geum's neck would be broken by my left.
*Pang.*
Elder Geum hastily blocked my attack with his left hand, retracted his right, and quickly retreated.
"Are you satisfied?"
Elder Geum's eyes wavered as he looked at me.
"Incredible. An attack of this level should have at least made you flinch, yet not only did you remain steady, but your breathing is also perfectly calm? Hahaha! A true monster has been born. I thought there were no true talents left in the martial world after Alliance Leader Hwa passed away."
Elder Geum chuckled heartily, then clasped his fists and apologized.
"I'm sorry for testing you."
"It's alright. May I ask why?"
"You have perfectly absorbed the Azure Jade Elixir. That is the reason."
For a moment, I realized my mistake.
The Azure Jade Elixir was among the highest-grade elixirs.
As potent as its effects were, the method to consume it and convert it into internal energy was exceedingly difficult.
Yet, I had completely digested the elixir and converted it into internal energy in a short time, which must have made Elder Geum suspicious of my identity.
"It's only possible to perfectly absorb the energy of the Azure Jade Elixir if one has absolute mastery from consuming countless elixirs, or if one has the help of someone who does. But you were neither, yet you succeeded so easily."
"Then why didn't you stop me at the time?"
"Because you haven't learned the martial arts of the heretical factions. And you are also a descendant of the Sword Emperor."
"Then may I ask the purpose of testing me now?"
"You are too mysterious. You defy all the common sense I know about martial arts. So, even if it was rude, I wanted to test you myself. Let's just call it an occupational hazard."
"Are you satisfied with the result?"
"No. In fact, I'm even more frustrated. You have now reached a state where your internal energy responds to your very thoughts. This is not the level of a warrior who has simply reached two cycles of internal energy by obtaining an Azure Jade Elixir. I'll ask you. Who are you?"
"I am Guyang Cheon."
"Are you hiding something from me?"
"In my past life, I was the greatest in the world."
"Puhahaha! That makes sense. A wise answer to a foolish question. The knowledge I possess is not the absolute truth of the world. I feel I pushed you too hard. I apologize once again."
"It's alright."
I had told him the truth, but as expected, Elder Geum didn't believe me.
Then again, if I were in his shoes and some young man of only twenty-five said, "I was the greatest in the world in my past life," I wouldn't have believed it either.
Elder Geum sat down again.
"I'll have to solve this mystery someday."
"Just take my word for it. It'll be easier."
"What? That you were the greatest in the world in your past life? Are you saying you were the former Martial Arts Alliance Leader, Hwa Un-ryong, in your past life?"
"Yes. Well, perhaps."
"Hey now, young man, choose your jokes more carefully. Don't make such jokes to others. You'll only make enemies."
"I'll be counting on you for good information in the future."
"Hah, now you're openly trying to get information for free?"
"Think of it as an investment. Since you've tested me, you must have concluded that investing in me will definitely not be a loss."
"I really don't know what to do with you."
Elder Geum shook his head from side to side.
Until now, Elder Geum had met countless martial artists, but he had always been the one in control.
However, in his conversation with me, he couldn't grasp the upper hand, and a sense of bewilderment washed over him.
At the same time, he felt a sense of satisfaction.
Because we would become family.
If I were an enemy, he would have to kill me by any means necessary, but as family, he should support me without reservation.
After my conversation with Elder Geum, I left the room to find Hwangbo Yeon waiting for me.
She approached me and linked her arm with mine.
"Today, you have to do whatever I say."
"I must have saved a nation in my past life to be monopolizing the love of such a beautiful woman."
"Then why does someone who knows that act like such a block of wood? You should be lovesick for me."
A smile spread across Hwangbo Yeon's face.
"Let's go. I'm hungry."
She led me out of the Full Moon Tower.
Was it because we had been apart for so long that our longing was so great?
I spent the evening with her until late at night.
"I don't want to say goodbye like this. Would you like to come to my room?"
As we were about to part in front of the Full Moon Tower, she expressed her disappointment.
"We haven't even held a wedding ceremony, and you're saying such things."
"Hmph, I'm an adult too, you know."
She placed her hands on her hips and puffed out her chest.
I was startled and took a step back.
I had almost reached out and grabbed them with both hands without thinking.
"Hohoho. This is the first time I've seen you flustered, Brother. Don't look at me like that. I'm not a loose woman. I was just teasing because it's you. Goodbye."
She winked one eye and then scurried up the stairs of the Full Moon Tower and disappeared.
‘Good grief. I feel like I've been bewitched by a fox.’
I shook my head and immediately used my lightness art to head towards the Ouyang Clan.
The Ouyang Clan.
Although it was late, I went to see my father, Ouyang Hyeon.
"Did something happen at the Alliance?"
Seeing me arrive in the middle of the night, Ouyang Hyeon looked worried that something had happened to me.
"No. As I mentioned in the letter, I'm gaining recognition as the leader of the Evil-Repelling Sword Squad. I've been ordered to investigate the Shanxi Province area."
"Hmm, I heard that the heretical factions are stirring. Is it related to that?"
"Yes, it is."
"Be careful. Will you stay the night?"
"No. I just came to pay my respects."
"If you keep moving without rest, your body will wear out, no matter how young you are."
"Yes. I will be careful."
"If you find yourself in a critical situation, ask for help. I'll send Seong Je and the Emperor's Sword Guard."
"Just hearing you say that is reassuring. Where is Mother?"
"Just go. Don't make her worry unnecessarily. I'll just tell her you're doing well at the Martial Arts Alliance."
"Then I'll return after I've finished my work."
"Be careful."
I bowed to my father and departed.
I traveled through the night using my lightness art, and by the time I reached the place where Pure was staying, a hazy dawn was breaking.
Did she sense my presence?
Pure appeared.
"You're back early."
"Yes. Have you tried practicing?"
"Yes. It's truly amazing. The flow of my internal energy has become much more natural, and unnecessary movements have disappeared. It looks similar at a glance, but upon closer inspection, it's a completely different lightness art. I can now travel farther and faster with less internal energy. Thank you, Affectionate."
"I'm glad."
When I smiled brightly, Pure also smiled radiantly.
She wasn't wearing her disguise, and I thought her smile was truly dazzling.
"This is information I got from the Full Moon Tower. Compare and analyze it with the Martial Arts Alliance's information. I'm going to rest for a bit."
"Understood."
At the mention of 'information from the Full Moon Tower,' her eyes sparkled.
I handed it to her and went into my room to take a short rest.
Since my internal energy had reached two cycles, I didn't need much sleep to recover my stamina.
By the time I had replenished my spent energy through meditation and came out, the morning sun had risen.
She appeared around noon.
"I'm late because I was verifying the information at the safe house."
She had taken the information from the Martial Arts Alliance and the Full Moon Tower to the safe house to verify it before returning.
The safe house contained many minor intelligence reports that had not yet been reported to the Alliance, which were of low value as standalone information.
However, they were crucial because such reports, when gathered, formed solid intelligence.
Seeing Pure's meticulousness in checking even these minor reports, my trust in her deepened even more.
"How many people are deployed here?"
I asked while munching on a dumpling.
"Eight from the Demon-Slaying Pavilion and six from the Demon-Dispelling Pavilion. Besides them, there's an information network of merchants and farmers active here. However, I don't know anything about the latter."
"I don't want to know either. So, where should we start scouting?"
"Here."
The place she pointed to was Yang'a County.
The Sim River, originating from Mount Yangdu, carved through the Taihang Mountains, creating many basins around which counties were formed.
Yang'a County was a large town located downstream on the Sim River.
"After scouting Yang'a County, we can follow the Sim River upstream and scout Qishi County and Guwon County. It's rougher terrain than other places, will you be alright?"
"That must be why the Alliance sent me. By the way, do you really think they're there?"
"Probably. You must be careful. If you encounter a powerful enemy in Guwon County, there's nowhere to run, and it will be difficult to call for reinforcements."
"Trust me. Even if a strong one appears like last time, it will be different this time."
"I trust you."
She nodded immediately, as if there was no need to even think about it.
When I fought She Youhen, Dark Blood One, and the Seven Bloods, I had to reveal myself and fight recklessly to save Cheol Mu-ui.
That's why I had been in danger.
But now, I planned to move stealthily in the shadows.
"Do you think there's a powerful one here?"
"According to the intelligence..."
"Tell me what you think. I want to hear your personal opinion."
"There was a Shanxi branch of the Dark Blood Heaven Cult on the outskirts of Taiyuan County, right?"
"Right. They withdrew after we discovered them."
"This is just my feeling, but I suspect that branch might have hidden in Guwon County. It may seem like a complete backwater, but if you cross Mount Yangdu, you're in Taiyuan County. And if you look at the map."
She explained, marking the points where the heretical factions had appeared based on intelligence and reports.
"Good. I hope they're really there. This time, I need to catch a proper one and get some information. Pure."
"Yes, Affectionate."
"Do not reveal yourself this time either. You can't get hurt."
"Understood."
As we talked, we finished our meal.
"Let's go."
I immediately leaped north, and Pure's body blurred and vanished from sight.
Yang'a County.
Located downstream on the Sim River, this place was a larger county than I had expected.
This was possible because the Sim River was a larger river than I thought, and the basin plains it had created were vast.
Following Pure's advice, I calmly scanned the suspicious locations.
The main targets of our intensive search were the manors located on the outskirts.
If they were located in the city, they would have hidden themselves so thoroughly that it would be impossible to find them through this kind of search.
-Not this place either.
-I know. It was a very suspicious place, though.
After watching the manor for two days, we decided to search another one since it seemed perfectly ordinary.
Their activities had become very vigorous recently, so it was unlikely their base would be so perfectly concealed as to not show any signs.
-That's three failures already. What's next?
-The Yang Family Manor, located furthest north. Let's check there, and then head to Qishi County.
-What are the chances?
-The highest. The Yang Family Manor is larger than the ones we've seen so far. But are you sure this method of checking is right?
-Trust me.
Pure had doubts about my scouting method.
She must have wondered if simply hiding in a tall tree near the manor and observing was the right way to do things.
Of course, if I were just watching, it would be a meaningless act.
But I could sense the unique aura of the Dark Blood Heaven Cult, the Black Way Union, or the Evil Emperor Union.
Unless they had mastered the martial arts of the orthodox factions, they would exude that aura, however faintly. But I hadn't felt it at all from the manors we had scouted so far.
-Let's go. Don't be too discouraged. This kind of work has always required patience and persistence.
At the words 'patience and persistence,' Pure nodded.
We once again stealthily used our lightness art and headed for the Yang Family Manor.
Hoping to find a trace of the heretical factions there.